Aitor Esnaola has been in prison for eleven and a half years and the third grade, together with Iñaki Bilbao, Gorka Martínez and Gorka Lupiañez, was granted to him last May. Also, on 14 October, Xabier Atristrain was returned after the withdrawal of the third grade of Martutene. The imprisonment of several prisoners who remain in the same case could occur, the National Court should decide on another seven third-degree prisoners and in the coming days and weeks.

In all these cases, the conditions for prisoners to be in third grade are met, and in all of them the treatment boards of prisoners have decided to give it. Subsequently, the Department of Justice of the Basque Government ratifies what the boards decide.

However, the National High Court Penitentiary Oversight Office does not accept these grade changes and is constantly resorting to, and the National High Court is adding to this policy. These attitudes are not common in prison, as judges normally accept decisions taken by the prison boards.

Blocking of permits

The obstacles not only occur with the third grade, but also appeal from the National Hearing to other permits granted by the treatment boards to Basque political prisoners, usually leave days. At the moment the National Court has resorted to some 120 permits. Since September 2021, the Basque Government has acquired prison competences, it has taught the third grade, 25 of them political prisoners, as the best system of social integration, as is also being demonstrated in Europe.

In the words of the spokesman for the Basque Government, Bingen Zupiria, in connection with the new incarcerations, the Government will continue with politics so far, reaffirming what the prison board decides technically. Report that includes, among others, the processes needed to reach the status of permits and current problems.